


Embr-Ace-ing It

by jenstraflintlocked



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:48:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28337961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jenstraflintlocked/pseuds/jenstraflintlocked
Summary: Lin comes out to Kya as asexual
Relationships: Lin Beifong/Kya II
Comments: 15
Kudos: 102





	1. Chapter 1

The house had been Lin’s for decades, set a little way from the city, but close enough she could drive to headquarters in fifteen minutes. When Kya had moved back to Republic City, to help with the relief effort, Lin had offered that Kya could stay with her, “just until you find your own place”. Things had happened; like Lin starting to make her lunch every morning because Kya was determined to stay in bed as long as humanly possible and Lin was concerned about her eating in the hospital canteen every day. Small revelations, like Kya rediscovering how easy Lin was to just _be_ around. Big revelations, like how cute Lin looked when Kya had got up early for a change and woken her up with breakfast in bed when they’d both had a day off. Everything had built up until Kya had decided to make a move. She’d burst through the door and declared with a smile that she had good news, she’d found her own place and before Lin’s face even had time to fall, Kya had gone on to say that it just so happened that it was Lin’s place.

Lin had pointed out, with an amused smile, that they hadn’t even officially gone on a date yet and here she was, moving in? And Kya couldn’t have dreamed a better set up. And it’d been a wonderful evening. They’d co-ordinated an evening off, made the effort to come home on time and Lin had kept her promise to wear something other than her uniform. Lin had been tense at first about being recognised and a scene happening, but even the distinctive scars didn’t seem to give her away. At first Kya had hypothesised to herself that maybe people did recognise but were too terrified to say anything, but she couldn’t even see any of the furtive looks or tense glowers which had been her worry.

They’d finished the meal, had a brief argument about who was paying, agreed to go halves and Kya had taken great delight in taking Lin’s hand as they walked out and suggesting that they go _home_ to _their_ place. She’d wondered, it’d been on her mind, whether something would happen when they did get home, and it certainly seemed on the cards as Lin had kissed her as Kya had slid the handsome dark green blazer off her shoulders. Until Lin, usually so fluid and firm in the way she moved, had stiffened and her touches had become jerky and hesitant.

“We can take it slow, you know. It’s the first time in a while for me too.” Kya had stood back, smiling to reassure Lin but going by the fact Lin turned round and stomped out the bedroom, it’d failed.

And that was how she’d ended up standing there, holding a blazer and wearing a puzzled frown. Kya put it back on its hanger in the wardrobe, knowing Lin hated clothes on the floor, before following her into the living room.

Lin was sat on the sofa, her chin resting on her hands, staring blankly at the wall. Kya took a breath, wondering whether to make tea but, not wanting to leave Lin alone on the sofa, she walked over and gently sat down next to her, close enough to be an offer of comfort but making sure she wasn’t touching Lin. She put her hands on her knees and tapped her fingers, glancing at Lin occasionally. Eventually she gave up and put her arm slowly around Lin and when that wasn’t shied away from, she rested her head against Lin’s shoulders, smothering a sigh of relief when she felt Lin relax.

“I just can’t.” Lin muttered. “I couldn’t with Tenzin. Even when he wanted kids, I couldn’t…” she trailed off.

Kya made a face, because that was her _brother_ Lin was talking about and she didn’t really want to know or think about that. “Okay.” That seemed a safe enough response.

“Afterwards, I thought maybe I liked women instead. Figured I was too old to bother with it anyway. And then we…you…” Lin slumped backwards, moodily picking at the skin between her fingers.

“And you thought maybe it would be okay with me?” Kya had let herself fall with Lin. She reached over and took one of Lin’s hands in her own, smoothing her thumb over where Lin had been picking.

“You gonna leave now?”

Kya ignored the challenging tone and answered with her own question. “Does it look as if I am?”

“Why not? I can’t give you what you want! It won’t ever… I asked Katara and she said it was just how I am. You can’t fix it!”

Kya let Lin jerk up off the sofa but didn’t let go of her hand. “That would be because there’s nothing to fix.”

“What?”

Kya stared back into Lin’s scowl for a while, debating how to answer that. She chose another question altogether. “Can you do hugs?”

It seemed to exhaust Lin because she sank back down on the sofa. “What?”

“Your hugs. Can I still get hugs?”

Lin gave her a bemused grimace. “Sure.” She shrugged, waving her free hand in exasperation. She shook Kya’s hand free from her other one and held her arm out away from her side.

Kya wasted no time tucking herself into Lin’s side and letting Lin drape her arm around her, reclaiming Lin’s hand the minute she did so. “And you? Will you give me you, with all your awkwardness and your cuteness and your passion and that thing you do that’s so Lin Beifong, where you want to protect everyone even if you’re not always sure how to do it and that makes me want to protect you right back. Can you give me all that?”

“Doesn’t sound too hard.” Lin sniffed.

“Well. That’s what I want. So if you can give me all that, then you can give me what I want.” Kya said, in her most satisfied voice. “And for anything else, I can take care of it myself.”

“What??”

Kya looked up and grinned at the flush on Lin’s face. “Y’knoww. Or maybe. You don’t.” She realised suddenly.

“I’m not an idiot Kya.” Lin said gruffly. The arm across Kya squeezed her tightly. There was a whisper so soft Kya would’ve missed it if she hadn’t been listening for it. “And that would be okay?”

Kya shifted slowly, giving Lin time to move away but Lin didn’t, and Kya ended up sprawled in Lin’s lap, looking her dead in the eye. “That would be very okay.”

“And you’ll stay?”

“With you. Can’t guarantee I’ll stay in the city all the time, I might end up missing travelling, but I’ll always come back to you.”

“Or I could come with you.”

That shocked Kya, more than anything else about that evening. She leant back and stared at Lin.

“You’d leave Republic City?”

“Well, you know, I have before now.” Lin gave a small smile. “Not forever.” She amended. “But…it’s a big world.” Her voice dropped to a mumble. “And I love you.”

Kya squinted and leaned back in. “I’m sorry, what was that last bit?”

“You heard me.”

“Mm-mm. No, acutally. My hearing. It’s going a bit, in my old age.”

“Pfft!” Lin snorted. “You’re not old.”

“Oooh I’m definitely staying with you Lin Beifong.” Kya laughed. “So say it again.”

“Hmph.”

“Okay.” Kya arranged herself more comfortably in Lin’s lap. “So. I’ll say it and then you repeat after me. I love you.”

Lin rolled her eyes but echoed back, “I love you.”

“I love you.”

Lin frowned at her, confused but repeated it. “I love you.”

Kya leaned until her mouth was right by Lin’s ears and whispered slowly, “I. Love. You.”

Her hands were on Lin’s shoulders and she felt them tense as Lin finally seemed to get it. She bit back a laugh at Lin’s quiet “Oh.”

“Sadly,” she used Lin’s shoulders to shove herself upright, “I may not be old but I’m not as young as I was and either way these days I prefer to sleep in bed and not on the sofa.” Kya moved to the kitchen to get a drink of water, wanting to stay close but also wanting to give Lin a moment if she needed it. She was grateful she hadn’t filled the glass yet when Lin came up and swept her off her feet.

“What? I can still be romantic.” Lin shrugged when Kya stared at her.

Kya tapped the glass against Lin’s nose. “It’s very romantic.” She grinned and bent water out the tap into her glass, not wanting Lin to put her down just for that.

Lin very carefully carried her to the bedroom before setting Kya back on her feet.

“Can I do it?” Kya's question stopped Lin as she was about to unbutton her shirt.

For a moment she thought Lin would refuse, but her hands dropped away, and she nodded.

Kya put her glass down on the bedside cabinet and slowly moved to stand before Lin. She made her movements as efficient as possible, as she carefully undressed Lin, taking off an item of her clothing for every one she removed from Lin. When they were both down to their underwear, she gathered everything up and piled them into the washing basket, gathering up her pyjamas from where she’d discarded them that morning and disappearing off to the bathroom, giving Lin time to remove her bra and pull on the vest and shorts she slept in.

“Be right back.” Lin muttered when Kya returned, smelling vaguely of mint and ready for bed.

Kya got comfortable in bed as she waited for Lin to complete her own evening ablutions and was surprised when Lin came back and immediately curled herself around Kya, holding her close and tight. She couldn’t stop the laughter this time when they simultaneously said “I love you” but Lin had given an amused snort too so she didn’t feel guilty as she relaxed into Lin’s embrace.


	2. Chapter 2

Kya had been stunned that Lin had suggested going to Zaofu first, but Lin had wanted to go somewhere familiar as a starting point and had also pointed out that at _some_ point she wanted her sister to know about them, even if that might mean enduring Su’s teasing.

Huan was the first to see them when they approached the Beifong house and walked over.

“Aunty Lin.” He said seriously, with a nod.

“Huan.” Lin nodded back, a stern expression on her face.

Without so much as a twitch of the lips or lighting up of the eyes, Lin ceremoniously unfolded her arms and he stepped towards her and she hugged him.

Kya was too used to Lin doing similar with Mako and looked round to see Lin’s half-sister walking up to them.

“Hey Kya.” Su waved as Lin released Huan and he walked away. “Where’s my hug, Lin?” the matriarch of Zaofu pretended to sound put out.

Lin pointedly folded her arms.

“Don’t look at me.” Kya shook her head. If Lin still wasn’t at the point where she could hug her sister, Kya wasn’t about to give Su one either.

“Oh well. I suppose there’s some serious reason for this visit, rather than just coming to see me.”

“There is.”

Su closed her eyes and gave a long sigh. Which was unfortunate timing, Kya thought, watching Lin pick Su up, because it meant there was no air left in Su’s lungs when Lin crushed her in a bear hug.

“So what’s the serious issue?” Su wheezed, once Lin had set her down again. “Or was the assassination attempt it?”

Kya glanced at Lin to see if she was going to lead but Lin just stood there, looking awkward.

“We…” Kya began

“Oh! You two.” Su smiled, wagging a finger between them. “Finally?”

“Ye-es.”

“Took you long enough Lin. How long have you had a crush on Kya now? Four decades?”

“What?” Kya blinked.

“Oh yes. Didn’t you notice how she’d become such a show-off whenever you were around? She moped for _months_ when you left. Although I suppose you didn’t have to live through thaaatt!!” Su’s sentence became a yell as she dodged to avoid Lin’s blow and darted off.

“You promised you wouldn’t show up at my house and attack me again!!” Su yelled as she ducked behind a pillar.

“I said HOW ABOUT I promised!!” Lin shunted the entire pillar out the way.

“WE STILL SHOOK ON IT!!”

“WELL THIS TIME IT’S A FAIR FIGHT!!”

Kya watched the entertainment of Su being chased by Lin across the courtyard, jinking in between pillars and some of Huan’s artworks. The artist himself came back out to join her, attracted by the furious bellows. 

“I think they’re getting along better these days.” He remarked as he watched his aunt trip his mother up by bending the earth out from under her feet.

“Oh definitely. This is practically playing.” Kya nodded in agreement as Lin pinned Su to the ground and bent earth around her wrists as handcuffs. She burst out laughing as Lin bent a pile of mud into Su’s face before getting up and walking back over to Kya. Su swiftly freed herself and divested herself of the mud, joining them with a dignified sniff as she brushed the last of the dust from her robes.

“Really?”

Lin simply shrugged and looked smug as Kya draped her arm around Lin's neck.


End file.
